ITR deadline extended: Taxpayers may earn more interest, but government could face higher refund burden
[ad_1] NEW DELHI: With the Income Tax Return (ITR) filing deadline for Assessment Year 2025–26 extended from July 31 to September 15, 2025, a key question has surfaced: will this extension increase the government's interest liability on tax refunds?TOI reached out to multiple tax experts to understand the implications of this move on both taxpayers and the exchequer. What emerged is a detailed view of how refund-related interest works under Section 244A of the Income Tax Act, the potential financial burden on the government, and why taxpayers may still be better off filing early.Extended ITR deadline may lead to higher refund interestShalini Jain, Tax Partner, EY India, explained: “The ITR filing extended deadline (for Assessment Year 2025-26, i.e., Financial Year 2024-25) may result in the government paying more interest on tax refunds in certain cases. Considering an example where excess […]